Strange Baseball Feats & Records

**shady610** · 05-10-06, 04:03 PM

^^^ LOL!!! that is a classic.

**Willie Bee** · 05-10-06, 04:06 PM

We're just a couple of months away from the 40th anniversary of a once-in-a-lifetime feat. Atlanta's Tony Cloninger pitches and hits the Braves past the Giants in a 17-3 rout at Candlestick.

On the mound, Cloninger goes the distance, allowing seven hits and striking out five. He gives up two homers, one to Giants catcher Tom Haller and the other to Giants reliever Ray Sadecki.

But it is at the plate that Cloninger is best remembered that day (July 3, 1966). Cloninger becomes the first National Leaguer to blast two grand slams in a game, and ends up driving in nine of Atlanta's 17 runs.

**bigboydan** · 05-10-06, 11:04 PM

Here's some quick ones to run past you guys:

Barry Bonds was intentionally walked with bases loaded on May 28th, 1998.

Bill Mueller was the last player to hit two grand slams in one game against Texas from opposite sides of the plate. He completed this incredible feat on July 29th, 2003 (in back-to-back innings).

**Illusion** · 05-10-06, 11:07 PM

Didn't Fernando Tatis do it in the same inning a few years back for the Cardinals. (I also think it was from both sides of the plate)

**bigboydan** · 05-10-06, 11:10 PM

it wasn't from both sides of the plate ILL, but he did just that. Tatis did hit 2 grand slams in the same inning off the dodgers.

**Winston Smith** · 05-10-06, 11:13 PM

Tatis was the first to do it in the same inning.

Somehow, off of the same pitcher both times (CH Park). How the hell Park was still in there, I'll never know.

**bigboydan** · 05-10-06, 11:16 PM

funny you should mention chan ho park winston. he's pitching tonight, and has a 3-0 lead.

i remember exactly where i was, and what i was doing when Tatis hit those 2 grannys. i was playing poker, and they happen to have the game on tv that night.

**Winston Smith** · 05-10-06, 11:42 PM

Yeah, I just checked out the lineup from that game. Brings back memories. I'm getting all teary-eyed just thinking about the good ole' days with Darren Bragg, David Howard, and Manny Aybar.

**Stumpage** · 05-11-06, 08:31 AM

Well, I can't even begin to understand how this is possible, seeing that it is tough enough to do in one game, but on June 25th, 1976, Toby Harrah (Texas, I think) plays an entire doubleheader at shortstop and does not handle a single chance in the field. I'm wondering if he touched the ball at all that day.....

**Stumpage** · 05-11-06, 08:35 AM

Another bizarre one....July 17th, 1990, the Minnesota Twins turn 2 triple plays in one game versus the RedSox at Fenway. Both are "around the horn" triple killings, in the 4th and 8th innings, and both are started by Gary Gaetti. Twins lose 1-0.

**Willie Bee** · 05-11-06, 10:00 AM

Good call on that Toby Harrah day off at shortstop, Stumpage. It's rare indeed to go a game without any action at that position, but to have it happen in two games in the same day, you'd think that was impossible.

This isn't from a major league game, but a strange feat in professional baseball nontheless. The MLB record for strikeouts in the same inning by the same pitcher is four (4), and that has been done almost 50 times.

But the minor league record is five (5)

And it has been done four times: Tom Dukes, Southern League, 1964; Kelly Wunsch, Midwest League, 1994; Scott Gardner, SALLY League, 1995; and Mike Schultz, California League, 2004.

**tacomax** · 05-11-06, 10:21 AM

I have to admit it - I did wonder for a minute or two about how you could get more than 3 in an innings and then it came to me, and I confirmed it via google. And while I was there, here's a further snippet.

In the American League, the following pitchers struck out all four (4) batters in consecutive order: Mike Cuellar, Mike Paxton, Bobby Witt, Kevin Appier, Wilson Alvarez, Chuck Finley and Kazuhiro Sasaki.

In the National League, the following pitchers struck out all four (4) batters in consecutive order: Ed Crane, Hooks Wiltse, Jim Davis, Pete Richert, Don Drysdale, Bill Bonham, Kirt Ojala, Steve Kline and Octavio Dotel.

On September 30, 1885, Bobby Mathews became the first and only pitcher in the American Association to accomplish this unique feat. During the 1908 World Series, Orval Overall became the first and only pitcher to accomplish the feat in a Fall Classic.

**Willie Bee** · 05-11-06, 11:18 AM

From the sons also rise department...

June 9, 1999
Coors Field
Rockies-16 Mariners-11

Three sons of former major leaguers hit home runs: Ken Griffey Jr., David Bell and David Segui (all with Seattle). There are 10 home runs total in the game, four by the Mariners and six by Colorado, including one by Edgardo Clemente, the nephew of the late, great Roberto

**bigboydan** · 05-11-06, 11:54 AM

heres one i hate to even think about myself, because i actually had this game ... talk about a bad beat too

July 1, 1990: Yankees Andy Hawkins throws the season's 6th no-hitter. He pitched a no-hitter against the White Sox on July 1, 1990 but walked five and lost 4-0

**bigboydan** · 05-13-06, 12:28 PM

In 1971, Al Kaline ended and won a game by grounding into a double play. While the Red Sox threw the ball around the infield, 2 runners scored and Kaline was credited with no RBI.

**Stumpage** · 05-15-06, 09:28 AM

Had to dig up this thread from a couple of days ago, because apparently Mark Buehrle last night became the first pitcher in over 100 years to give up 7 runs in the first inning and still get a winning decision.....Triple play in last night's game as well.